Saving our coastlines, Canash concerns

ON 12TH MAY 2015, SEARCHLIGHT carried a story highlighting that Canash Beach had been cleared of six derelict sea-craft which lay for a long time as an unsightly mess in the waters of this beach.

Canash Beach was once a very popular place for picnics for locals and the presence of its mangroves provided welcome shade for the many families who frequented its waters. Then it slowly became a graveyard for derelict sea craft which found their resting place underwater. What was once a pristine beach grew into an unsightly mess and its once clear waters became a muggy oil infested mixture.

The presence of a marina, which took advantage of its natural shelter and the lack of proper monitoring of dumping of effluent into the waters created an environment unwelcoming to Vincentians and visitors.

Residents of the nearby communities had long complained about the neglect that Canash Bay has suffered over decades of misuse. The removal of the derelict sea craft was therefore welcomed by all.

Meanwhile the Blue Lagoon Marina showed signs of increased tourism and yachting business activity.We noted too the development, on the eastern end of the Bay, of the Coconut Grove entertainment enterprise with new construction. That business opened its doors with imported white sand deposited across a wide area to add to the attractiveness of the complex. Though one might have had misgivings about depositing imported sand, it transformed the aesthetic appearance of that part of the beach which had become an unsightly, oily slush.

The recent reports and alarm raised by several persons expressing concern about the destruction of the mangroves on Canash Beach must be taken seriously.What has happened to our beaches must be of concern for all Vincentians.

But immediately, the issue of permissions to carry out development on one of the last remaining popular recreational beach areas must be thoroughly examined, and remedied.

This is not a situation where there are mere rumours about construction being done at Canash Beach; we see photographs of tractors carrying out excavation works so we must clarify what is being done there, by whom, and on whose authority.

But even as we clarify or question the authority on which works are being carried out, we only have to look at examples such as the Layou Waterfront where remedial work has had to be done to attempt to arrest the encroachment of the sea into what once used to be bay front with coconut trees; and more recently, the millions that have had to be spent trying to protect the shoreline along the north-east stretch on the mainland.

Our research suggests that there are 35 protected areas in St Vincent and the Grenadines established under different pieces of legislation including the Forest Resources Conservation Act (1992), the Wildlife Protection Act (1987), and the Fisheries Act (1986).

The Forestry Act is the piece of legislation that governs the Canash Mangrove which is part of the South Coast Marine Conservation area that is managed by the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority.

The environmental concerns being expressed by environmentalists and others are serious. There are adequate examples of degradation of once beautiful white sand beaches from Indian Bay to Villa. Boardwalks have had to be built where beaches once invited sea bathers.We have spoken of the once beautiful natural bay at Layou with coconut trees blowing in the wind that is now a mass of concrete being used to try and arrest further erosion by the sea.

Mangroves and other sea-hardy vegetation are vital coastal forests that protect shorelines, store massive amounts of carbon, and support marine life. They assist in coastal protection as buffers against storms, as their root systems absorb wave energy and reduce damage from storm surges.

The mangroves also prevent erosion when their roots anchor sediment and soil in place. Removing mangroves and other vegetation from beaches therefore, almost guarantees future destruction of our coastline.

So, we must strike a balance between the ambitions of business operators who sometimes take advantage of lax control of regulations to advance their profitability using the guise of development. Our greatest attractiveness has always been precisely our virgin state relative to other overbuilt destinations.

St Vincent and the Grenadines must be more than just a tourism destination. It must remain a nation where nationals must be free to breathe and swim and picnic in our natural environment even as we welcome visitors to share our attractions. We therefore say put a halt to the cannibalism and unchecked sale and destruction of our environment; our patrimony; our nation.